Experiences of prison inmates with autism spectrum disorders and the knowledge and understanding of the spectrum amongst prison staff: a review

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the research which has examined the link between autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) and offending behaviour and the impact of prison on individuals with ASDs. Studies suggest that inmates with ASDs may be at an increased risk of bullying, confrontations, exploitation, anxiety and social isolation as a result of their ASD traits such as obsessions, social naivety and impaired empathy. Design/methodology/approach – An extensive review of the literature. Findings – The review identifies a modest amount of studies (n=4) which have explored the experience of individuals with ASD in prison and highlights that inmates with ASDs face a multitude of problems when they enter prison. Despite an extensive literature search only one study was identified which investigated the knowledge and understanding of ASDs amongst prison staff. Research limitations/implications – Further research is urgently needed to consider the specific problems faced by inmates with ASD, to identify how to make the prison environment safer and more supportive for inmates with ASD and how to reduce the likelihood of re-offending. Practical implications – This review highlights that, to date, there has been relatively little to guide service design in order to develop support services for individuals with ASD in prison. There has been a scarcity of studies investigating the effectiveness of various treatment models to target offending behaviour in individuals with ASD. Originality/value – This paper fulfils an identified need to study and identify the specific problems faced by inmates with ASD and to identify changes which are required to provide an environment in prison which is safer and more supportive.

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Psychological interventions for adults with autism spectrum disorders: a review

Advances in Autism ◽

10.1108/aia-05-2015-0007 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 1 (2) ◽

pp. 79-86 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Debbie Spain ◽

Laura Harwood ◽

Lucy O'Neill

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Autism Spectrum Disorders ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Psychological Interventions ◽

Behaviour Therapy ◽

Treatment Protocols ◽

Content Type ◽

Cognitive Behaviour ◽

Spectrum Disorders ◽

The Impact

Purpose – Adults who have autism spectrum disorders (ASD) experience a range of core and co-morbid characteristics which impede daily functioning and quality of life. Children and adolescents with ASD derive clinically meaningful benefits from psychological interventions, including those designed to reduce socio-communication deficits and mental health conditions. Relatively little is known about the effectiveness of these interventions for the adult ASD population. The paper aims to discuss this issue. Design/methodology/approach – A selective search of English language, peer-reviewed publications was undertaken, in order to summarise the empirical data pertaining to psychological interventions for adults with high-functioning ASD (HF-ASD). Findings – Thus far, social skills interventions, cognitive behaviour therapy techniques, and mindfulness-based approaches have been researched most extensively. Interventions have primarily sought to: reduce the impact of core ASD characteristics; enhance skills; and improve co-morbid mental health symptoms. Methodological and clinical heterogeneity render it difficult to generalise study findings across population samples, but overall, interventions appear to be associated with reductions in co-morbid symptom severity, and improved functioning. Research limitations/implications – Further studies that seek to improve functioning, reduce co-morbid characteristics, and enhance the propensity for attaining and maintaining independence are now needed. Practical implications – Adaptations to standard treatment protocols are likely required in order to enhance engagement and optimise treatment gains. Originality/value – This is one of the first reviews to focus specifically on psychological interventions for adults with HF-ASD.

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Oral Health and Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Unique Collaboration between Dentistry and Occupational Therapy

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18010135 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 18 (1) ◽

pp. 135

Author(s):

Dominique H. Como ◽

Leah I. Stein Duker ◽

José C. Polido ◽

Sharon A. Cermak

Keyword(s):

Autism Spectrum Disorders ◽

Oral Health ◽

Emotional Regulation ◽

Occupational Therapists ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Clinic Visit ◽

Children With Asd ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Dental Practitioners ◽

Spectrum Disorders

Children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are at risk for oral health disparities. With the dramatic rise in ASD prevalence to 1 in 54 children, it is likely that an increasing number of dental practitioners will encounter or be asked to treat children with ASD. This paper reviews explanations related to the increasing prevalence of ASD, provides reasons why children with ASD are at increased risk for poor oral health, and discusses unique interprofessional collaborations between dental practitioners and occupational therapists. Occupational therapists and dentists can work together to plan modifications to the dental environment or adapt dental protocols to reduce some of the barriers encountered by those with ASD, provide desensitization strategies before the clinic visit, or help a child with emotional regulation during clinical treatments.

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Sleep in youth with autism spectrum disorders: systematic review and meta-analysis of subjective and objective studies

Evidence-Based Mental Health ◽

10.1136/ebmental-2018-300037 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 21 (4) ◽

pp. 146-154 ◽

Cited By ~ 23

Author(s):

Amparo Díaz-Román ◽

Junhua Zhang ◽

Richard Delorme ◽

Anita Beggiato ◽

Samuele Cortese

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Autism Spectrum Disorders ◽

Evidence Synthesis ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Newcastle Ottawa Scale ◽

Spectrum Disorders ◽

Sleep Alterations ◽

The Impact ◽

Ottawa Scale

BackgroundSleep problems are common and impairing in individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Evidence synthesis including both subjective (ie, measured with questionnaires) and objective (ie, quantified with neurophysiological tools) sleep alterations in youth with ASD is currently lacking.ObjectiveWe conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of subjective and objective studies sleep studies in youth with ASD.MethodsWe searched the following electronic databases with no language, date or type of document restriction up to 23 May 2018: PubMed, PsycInfo, Embase+Embase Classic, Ovid Medline and Web of Knowledge. Random-effects models were used. Heterogeneity was assessed with Cochran’s Q and I2 statistics. Publication (small studies) bias was assessed with final plots and the Egger’s test. Study quality was evaluated with the Newcastle Ottawa Scale. Analyses were conducted using Review Manager and Comprehensive Meta-Analysis.FindingsFrom a pool of 3359 non-duplicate potentially relevant references, 47 datasets were included in the meta-analyses. Subjective and objective sleep outcome measures were extracted from 37 and 15 studies, respectively. Only five studies were based on comorbidity free, medication-naïve participants. Compared with typically developing controls, youth with ASD significantly differed in 10/14 subjective parameters and in 7/14 objective sleep parameters. The average quality score in the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was 5.9/9.Discussion and clinical implicationsA number of subjective and, to a less extent, objective sleep alterations might characterise youth with ASD, but future studies should assess the impact of pharmacological treatment and psychiatric comorbidities.

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Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Research Review for School Counselors

Professional School Counseling ◽

10.1177/2156759x150160405 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 16 (4) ◽

pp. 2156759X1501604

Author(s):

Richard W. Auger

Keyword(s):

Autism Spectrum Disorders ◽

School Counselors ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Research Literature ◽

Research Review ◽

Social Deficits ◽

Increased Risk ◽

The Social ◽

Students With Autism ◽

Spectrum Disorders

The number of students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) has risen significantly in recent years (CDC, 2012), and students with ASD present unique challenges to schools and school counselors. This article presents a synthesis of recent research literature related to ASD for the purpose of providing school counselors with assistance in understanding and addressing the needs of students with ASD. Specific areas of focus include the prevalence, developmental course, and defining characteristics of ASD, and research on the effectiveness of interventions for students with ASD. Students with ASD are at increased risk for a range of problems, including social deficits and limitations, anxiety, aggression, peer victimization, and underachievement (Ashburner, Ziviani, & Rodger, 2010). Interventions to address the social deficits of students with ASD have shown promise but also have been found to lack results that are generalizable and that persist over time (Schreiber, 2011). This article provides specific recommendations for school counselors.

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Society and people diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder: an analysis of message descriptors of social media

RUDN Journal of Studies in Literature and Journalism ◽

10.22363/2312-9220-2019-24-4-744-755 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 24 (4) ◽

pp. 744-755

Author(s):

Olga A. Vazhenina ◽

Lidiya K. Lobodenko

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Autism Spectrum Disorders ◽

Digital Media ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Media Space ◽

English Speaking ◽

Spectrum Disorders ◽

The Impact ◽

The Relationship ◽

Social Media Tool

The authors investigate the process of humanization of society in relation to people with autism spectrum disorders and its relationship with the reception of problems of this category of population by society. The authors based on the descriptors of messages in social media published in the digital media space. The article reveals the relationship between the content of messages in social media, as well as the tools of this type of media and the overall degree of humanization of society at both social and political levels. The typological features of such a social media tool as a hashtag, when covering the problems of people with autism spectrum disorders, as well as the impact of these features on the reception of messages on this topic by both domestic and English-speaking users are noted.

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THE IMPACT OF AUDIOVISUAL MEDIA ON CHILDREN WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS

EDULEARN20 Proceedings ◽

10.21125/edulearn.2020.0900 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Eva Brlek ◽

Marin Milković ◽

Jelena Škoda

Keyword(s):

Autism Spectrum Disorders ◽

Children With Autism ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Audiovisual Media ◽

Spectrum Disorders ◽

The Impact

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Distraction, distress and diversity: Exploring the impact of sensory processing differences on learning and school life for pupils with autism spectrum disorders

Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders ◽

10.1016/j.rasd.2020.101515 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 72 ◽

pp. 101515 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Elizabeth K. Jones ◽

Mary Hanley ◽

Deborah M. Riby

Keyword(s):

Autism Spectrum Disorders ◽

Sensory Processing ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

School Life ◽

Spectrum Disorders ◽

The Impact ◽

Processing Differences

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Current state of evidence of cannabis utilization for treatment of autism spectrum disorders

BMC Psychiatry ◽

10.1186/s12888-019-2259-4 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Rumi Agarwal ◽

Shanna L. Burke ◽

Marlaina Maddux

Keyword(s):

Autism Spectrum Disorders ◽

Large Scale ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Adverse Outcomes ◽

Cannabis Use ◽

Care Providers ◽

Risks And Benefits ◽

Current State ◽

Spectrum Disorders ◽

The Impact

Abstract The core symptoms and co-morbidities associated with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) affect daily living and quality of life. Existing pharmacological interventions are only able to attenuate some related symptoms but are unable to address the underlying etiologies associated with ASD. Anecdotal evidence, which claims benefit from the use of cannabis to treat symptoms among this population, has been gaining popularity as families seek solutions. This paper analyzed recent peer-reviewed literature to identify the current state of evidence regarding cannabis use for the ASD population. Systematic reviews, reports, and experimental studies were assessed to understand the current extent and nature of the evidence on the risks and benefits of cannabis use for ASD. At this time, three large-scale clinical trials are currently at varying stages of progress and publication of results. Only five small studies were identified that have specifically examined cannabis use in ASD. Given the sparse state of evidence directly assessed in this population, studies which examined effects of cannabis on shared pathological symptoms of ASD such as hyperactivity, sleep disorders, self-injury, anxiety, behavioral problems, and communication were also reviewed. Studies revealed mixed and inconclusive findings of cannabis effects for all conditions, except epilepsy. Adverse outcomes were also reported, which included severe psychosis, increased agitation, somnolence, decreased appetite, and irritability. In addition, a wide range of cannabis compositions and dosage were identified within the studies, which impact generalizability. There is currently insufficient evidence for cannabis use in ASD, which creates an urgent need for additional large-scale controlled studies to increase understanding of risks and benefits and also to examine the impact of “entourage effects.” This will support discussions of treatment options between health care providers and ASD patients and their families. Evidence may lead to a desired new line of treatment or prevent adverse outcomes from unsubstantiated use amongst families aiming for symptom reduction.

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